My Beautiful Rescue
by paperbagface
Summary: SasuSaku. AU. Love doesn't come easy, they say. For Sasuke, admitting he was in love was much harder than gaining her love.


_I'm falling more in love..._

Love doesn't come easy, they say.  
For Sasuke, admitting he was in love was much harder than gaining her love.

-

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**My Beautiful Rescue.  
**by: paperbagface

_Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine.  
Song and lyrics "Beautiful Rescue" copyright to This Providence_

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**-**

I met Haruno Sakura when I was seven. Our mothers were – and still, annoyingly are – best friends, yet our fathers were business rivals (which has died down by now). I remember saying a simple "hello" and then walking away, because I was bitter and stupid. She started screaming and complaining then; Mrs. Haruno began to immediately console her, and Mother came running towards me.

"You don't disrespect a lady!" She gently chided, because Mother was never one to directly scold _us – _no, _me. _

"I didn't disrespect her," I remember retorting, because I was a brat, and Mother still has fun telling me that I still am, "I said 'hello'."

I remember Mother's laugh, and how quickly she took hold of me and walked me right back to Sakura. Sakura didn't want to have anything to do with me – I was the "mean, stupid, little boy with the chicken butt hair!" – but Mrs. Haruno and Mother kept pestering us to make-up and go play, like all the regular seven-year-olds do.

We didn't even want to go play, but our mothers shoved us away towards the backyard, while they girl-talked in the kitchen, sneaking glances at us all the while. Father had built a somewhat-playground in our backyard, so I went straight to the swing and sat down. She didn't want anything to do with me, and I didn't want anything to do with her, either. Friends, I thought, were stupid. I looked up at my (_stupidstupidstupid) _brother's bedroom window, and frowned when I saw that he was watching me. I thought he was my friend, my (_stupidstupidstupid) _brother; but he proved me wrong.

No. Everyone in the world was a liar. Except for Mother, that is.

-

-

_I've been jumping from the tops of buildings__  
For the thrill of the fall__  
Ignoring sound advice  
And any thought of consequence_

-

-

"Why do you hate me so much?" She asked. "It's not like I've done anything wrong. Don't blame _me _for your brother – "

"Shut up. Shut _up._"

Thirteen was a crappy year for both of us. Sakura took up a best friend, the most _annoying _banshee _ever, _Yamanaka Ino. Thirteen was when we went into middle school, when all the guys thought that they were "men", and all the girls started to dress up like they were _whores, _which, to me, seemed impossible with the moderate middle school uniforms.

I was about to be convinced about her. I thought that she would be bearable, inseparable from me. I was about to be convinced that she wasn't a liar, like Father and my (_stupidstupidstupidshitty) _brother.

I remember how disappointed I was. Disappointed when she was _just like them. _

"I'm not like _them, _Sasuke."

She was sitting on my bed, then. Flipping through the channels on my TV while I sat on the floor and watched. I usually let her do whatever; I didn't want her to throw a hiss-fit and bring Mother into my room. No, it was hard enough already for Mother. My bastard of a brother made sure of that.

"It's not _my_ fault you look like _him." _

"Sakura, _shut up!" _

I sat up and looked at her now. Her (_prettyprettyshiny) _emerald eyes were wide with anger and surprise, her (_awkwardyetbeautiful) _pink hair coming down in sort-of straight, sort-of wavy locks that went way past her shoulder.

"_Never _compare me to my brother! _Never! _Do you _think _I would cheat my own _DAD _to bankruptcy? _Damn it!" _

"Sasuke, it's true – "

I wasn't sure if there were tears in my eyes. I just remember being _hurt, _because she was _just like them. _Just like every, single, bloody liar in the world.

"You're just like them," I bitterly said. "All about the looks. _Nothing _about the history. The story beneath, _behind _the damn looks."

She bit her lip. I wasn't sure if she looked sorry; her friends taught her to fake quite well.

"I didn't _ask _for genetically-drop-dead-gorgeous _looks. _I didn't _ask _to have _chicken butt hair, _Sakura. That's not all that matters, regardless of what you think."

A blush spread on her cheeks, but I was too angered to say anything of it.

"_Never _compare me to my brother, Sakura. Don't ruin me if you're just like them."

I walked out of the room, and I remember her eyes watching me until I slammed my door. I didn't need another liar in my life. I didn't care that Mother gave me a scolding because I was rude to a lady – rude to _Sakura. _Because Sakura – even her friends – have been rude to me all along, and she – they – deserved it.

_Don't ruin me. _

When Mother clicked her tongue but stopped her arguing, she looked at me sadly. With those eyes like my (_traitortraitorbetrayer) _brother.

"She loves you," she quietly said.

I snorted.

"She loves me not."

I hardly noticed a quick shuffling, a tiny gasp, and a door shutting in the hallway.

-

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_My bones are shattered  
__My pride is shattered__  
And in the midst of my self-inflicted pain  
I can see my beautiful rescue_

-

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"You _idiot!" _

I didn't look at her. I didn't want to look at her.

"How could you just _reject _your own _father? _Sasuke, look at me!"

I still didn't look at her. I hated looking at her when she went into hysterics; she started crying and trembling, and I couldn't bear to look at her like that. Not while she was bawling her eyes out. Not when she was _hurting. _

"Please. Sasuke. Look at me. You're eighteen. You can handle it."

Her (_softdelicatefragile) _fingers lingered on my face. She was trying to get me look at her. But I couldn't. Especially like _this. _Especially when I just turned down my inheritance of one of the largest companies in _Japan. _

"You can't! Then I'll have to – "

She hated it just as much as I did. But I couldn't take the bribe, the _stake, _of owning a company. Not when I was _required _to _marry _her. I was an icebox, but that didn't mean that I didn't want to marry a woman who wouldn't _annoy me. _

"Then you'll have to _what?" _I bitterly said. "Marry someone short-of-looks?"

She grinned and looked away. A blush made it to her cheeks, and my eyebrow rose with surprise.

"What?" I asked.

"No," she finally said. "No."

She looked at me again, and her fingers left my face (_pleasecomebacki'mbeggingyou). _

"You still think I'm like that? Come _on, _Sasuke. I've known you for _eleven _years. You've rejected me once –"

"No, I didn't," I interrupted.

"Yes, you did," She said, smiling. "When I was _stupid. _But I _swear – "_

Her fingers came back to my face, but I ignored the electricity.

" – I won't ruin you. Not anymore."

It was funny. The day after that, I told Father that I would _consider _taking over the company, if I didn't have to marry Sakura. He had a great laugh.

-

-  
_I'm falling more in love  
With every single word I withhold  
I'm falling more in love  
With every single word you say  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you_

-

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I was a master at completely ignoring what I felt inside. I was listening to my iPod while I waited for Sakura to finish her "Spring Shopping Spree", and every now and then she came out of the dressing room asking for my opinion. Most of the time, she'd always ask, 'How do I look?', and she looked (_reallyreallybeautiful) _fine, but I would always manage a clear, clean 'Hn.' She knew me well enough to distinguish a 'yes' from a 'no', and usually hummed in thought and went back into the dressing room to try on more clothes. So, when she came out with a pile of sort-of on-sale designer clothing that she had finally decided on, she was more than surprised when I took it from her and paid for it all. When she asked what it was for, I just said 'Hn'.

A master of ignorance. That's what I was.

"Father's holding a ball on Saturday," she said, while we both began eating our ice cream cones. "That's why I had to go shopping today."

"You need designer jeans and blouses for that, I'm sure," I blankly said.

She laughed.

"I want you to come with me. Because he said that your Mother and Father said they had to attend to other matters. Don't leave me alone there. Please?"

_You'reamasterofignorance..._

I didn't say anything at first. My parents had other matters to attend to? Like _what? _Scheming on how their _grandchildren _will look? I was only twenty-one!

"Please come, Sasuke. Dad's business partners and sponsors are _gross. _And if they bring their families, _ohmygod, _Sasuke, please come."

Her eyes were shining now.

"Hn."

She squealed and ran around the table to hug me.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou_ thank you!" _

She was lucky she was Haruno Sakura. No other girl/woman/female – except for Mother and women who I was forced to respect – was allowed to touch me.

"You can meet me at my house at six."

She released me, and then returned to her seat to finish up her ice cream. I imagined what Saturday would be like. Sakura (_alwayslookedbeautifulforstupidbusinessdances) _always had a _blast _trying to cover up her body from stupid, business perverts (_whoIwanttokilldearly). _

I'm a master of ignorance.

But that didn't mean that my heart beat erratically when she made contact with me.

I just _ignored _it.

"Say, why'd you cut your hair?" I asked.

I hardly realized that it was now mid-neck length; nothing compared to her past-shoulders hair that she had kept for so long. She grinned.

"To break the rumor that you like girls with long hair."

I smirked. Clever.

"And who said I liked you?"

She snorted.

"Oh, come _on, _Sasuke. Who _can't _like me?"

"Girls."

"Because I'm the _Almighty Uchiha Sasuke's _best friend! _Ohmygod, _may I have an autograph?"

I couldn't fight the smile that made its way on my lips.

-

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_I've been dancing on the tops of buildings.  
At the top of my lungs I'm singing you a song  
Don't you leave me alone  
My bones were shattered  
My pride lays shattered  
Well I'll trample my pride and tell the whole world  
To dance with me_

-

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I wasn't surprised when Sakura opened the door and looked beautiful. Her face was the silky, creamy white that it had always been; her eyes lined with dark, forest green, and shimmered with light purple and plum. An odd combination that made her emerald eyes pop even more than they usually did. She wore a sage-green, silk dress that flowed in waves while she walked. Stunning Haruno Sakura.

"Thanks," she muttered. "I looked at the shoes Mom bought and I was scared I would trample over a fall, and it's a shame that they're so cute. You'll kill anyone that looks, right?"

I smirked.

"Yeah."

She let out a sigh of relief as she put on her shoes. Stilettos, I remember her telling me once, which were open-toed.

"Good," she said. "That makes me feel loads better. How do I look?"

_You'resupposedtobeamasterofignorance..._

"Beautiful."

She blushed and took my hand.

"Let's go kill some perverts!"

I laughed and shook my head.

"You won't purposefully fall, just so I can kill perverts, will you?"

She blinked innocently, a devious pout present on her cherry lips.

"What makes you think that?"

"Your shoes."

She laughed as I opened the car door for her.

"But they're _soooo _cute."

"Dangerous," I replied, getting into the driver's seat and turning on my car.

"Oh please," she muttered. "If anything is dangerous about the two of us together, it's always your _looks. _I might have to do some killing myself."

"Jealous?" I asked.

Her blush was hidden by her large smile.

"No, because I know I'm the only unrelated female who won't ruin you."

-

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"Sasuke, he's _looking _at me funny."

We were sitting at the dinner tables, already having eaten our dinners. Couples took the dance floor, with music blaring throughout the enormous ballroom. I was lucky to have gone with her, because even _I _agreed that she would have been unsafe had she no date (_andIwouldn'thavetoworrythatshewouldbesomeoneelse's). _

"They're _all _looking at me funny!" She cried. "Why can't any of them look like – "

"Me?" I hinted.

" – You!" She continued. "At least let them be _drop dead gorgeous!" _

I chuckled. What was with this girl? I've known her ever since childhood, had a good share of fights and hatred, but now, she's so different. She can't stop breaking my barriers. I never smile. I never _chuckle, _in any case _laugh. _How was she doing this to me?

"So how're you going to kill them anyway?" She whined. "I don't see any knives or guns."

"Seriously, Sakura," I remember saying. "You want me to get charged with murder?"

"_No. _I mean, but – they, like, _deserve _it, Sasuke."

She smiled, and I couldn't help but let this tiny, nearly invisible, smile take my lips. Crazy woman. She made me smile twice that day.

"Say! Kill them with jealousy! Let's dance!"

I remember my surprise and the jolt of my heart when she took my hand and dragged me to the dance floor. It was a weird feeling, dancing with her. I've never danced in my life, never felt the urge. But when this (_goshdarnlucky) _stupid slow-dance came on, she smiled.

I didn't count the seconds it took for me to get the hint. But when I finally did, I put my hands on her waist – indifferently, of course – and her hands lay loose around my neck. And then we just started swaying with the music.

"Say, Sasuke – "

I'll never forget how much I wanted to forget my mastery of ignorance. I wanted to blurt out that I thought that she was beautiful, amazing, and that I _cared _for her.

" – Thank you."

"For what?"

She laughed, and I was ecstatic to know that _I _caused that beautiful laugh.

"Being my beautiful rescue, of course!"

She had no idea.

-

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_I'm crying out  
"Wash my hands, these bloody hands Lord. Open my mouth and I'll sing."_

-

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I remember all the tears she cried. I remember how much it hurt her when her stupid, supposed, best friend called her a 'whore'. I remember how many _drinks _she had at my house; I was surprised even Mother was disappointed. Nobody in the Uchiha household liked to see Miss Haruno Sakura drunk off sorrow.

"_I can't believe it," _she kept murmuring, waterfalls flowing from her beautiful eyes.

"You're not a whore, Sakura – " I'd keep saying.

That was our whole conversation for a total of nearly two hours. Her words slurred more and more, until it was difficult even for _me _to understand her. I knew how much Ino meant to her; they've been through countless fights and make-ups.

"_How could she think that?!" _Sakura finally cried.

She was about to throw her bottle of beer across the kitchen, but I quickly stopped her. I gently pat her back and pulled her against me – an awkward, sort-of more-than-best-friend type of hug. She continued to sob, and I didn't think once about her getting her mascara all over my shirt.

"How could she think that, Sasuke?" She asked once again. "She doesn't know! Doesn't know! She can't say that, _think _that!"

"What did she say, Sakura?" I quietly asked.

"'You're a whore for hanging around Sasuke so long! Yadda yadda!'"

"You aren't one, Sakura. You're not."

She sobbed more after this.

"She doesn't know!"

"Know what, Sakura?"

"Know how much I _love _you!"

My body stiffed, my heart froze. _What? _

"She – she doesn't know h-how much it means to me just w-when you waste your time with me, even though you do it as a best friend. And she doesn't know how great it feels because you're hugging me right now, and I love you _sooooo _much it _sucks _that I get called a whore for it!"

Right then and there, I wanted to tell her that I _cared _for her. I wanted to tell her that she was amazing, beautiful, and more definitely _not _a whore, because I would kill any man who wanted to ask her out, because she was _mine, _and always _has _been _mine. _

...But I couldn't. I was stupid. I – she – she loved me?

"_I love you sooooo much, but I know you don't love me! Sososososomuch, Sasuke!" _

Why couldn't I just bite my tongue and say it?

-

-_  
I'm falling more in love  
With every single word I withhold  
I'm falling more in love  
With every single word you say  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you_

-

-

We were in my backyard. I sat on the swing while she sat on the platform, looking at me curiously. We were twenty-two, exactly one year after her little run-in with Ino and her drunk confession. She showed no signs of remembering it, but I wished that she would. Wished she would so she could bring it up, say sorry, most likely start to cry; but then I could be justified for telling her that I _cared for her more than usual best friends do (headoverheelsinlovewithher). _

"Uh, Sasuke?"

I remember her lips glittering with her new, strawberry-flavored lip-gloss.

"Yeah?"

She continued to look at me, and I wondered if she was asking for the newest boots or another shopping spree. She was never so hesitant; after fifteen years of knowing me, she's forgotten all modesty and just bluntly asked for whatever she wanted (_notthatiminded). _

"I love you."

She smiled, and a rosy blush went onto her cheeks. My heart skipped a beat (wasn't that only a girl thing to admit?), because her confession sounded _millions _times better when she wasn't drunk. Plus, she smiled the most _beautiful _smile ever, and I knew that _I _wanted to be the only one who could make her smile that smile. I knew that I never wanted that smile to go away. _Never. _

"You don't mind, do you? I mean, I know how it's weird. But, to tell you the truth, I've been in love with you since we were thirteen."

Her confidence scared me. Was this practiced? Was this planned? She's always been blunt, but I never expected her to confess to me in such a solid, confident manner. She was a strong (_beautiful) _crazy (_amazing) _woman; I suppose I shouldn't have been _so _surprised.

She jumped down from her place (which really wasn't a jump) and stood in front of me on the swing. Her hands unconsciously laced with mine – a habit she picked up, and one I didn't really mind (but she'd never know that) – while she gazed at me.

"I love you _soo _much, Sasuke. And I don't really know why, because you're not very nice, but you're actually sweet to _me, _and because I know that this may never work out – "

She rambled on and on, another nervous habit of hers. "Covering up the truth with truthful words", she called it once.

"Sakura?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

And then I gently pulled her down, and kissed her right then and there. I didn't ignore all the electricity and all the flying sparks this time. My mastery was gone. Everything was worth it, for that kiss. For that girl fantasizing "first kiss", because it was as great as people said it would be. Or maybe it was because I was head-over-heels in love with her.

-

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_I've been dancing on the tops of buildings.  
With you._

-

-

I nervously watched as the hour hand and minute hand on my watch kept ticking. Today was the day that I was going to tell her, I resolved. Tell her that I was in love with her. I decided that _today _was the right day, because she was my girlfriend, and I felt horrible lying to her saying that I only _cared _for her.

_Caring _for her was an enormous understatement, I mused, especially after eighteen years of knowing her. Even at twenty-five, I felt the giddy emotions filter through me whenever I saw her, whenever she held my hand, whenever she kissed me, whenever she told me that she loved me.

"Say, it's beautiful today, Sasuke."

She walked up to me and hugged me, her usual greeting, but didn't leave my arms. I wanted to tell her that it was only beautiful because she was here with me, and that she loved me, but I didn't want to sound like a total _sap. _I still had _some _pride left over, even after having to tag along while she went through numerous stores looking for undergarments.

"Yeah."

"You decide if you're taking over the company, yet? I'm pretty sure Fugaku's miffed it's taken you so long."

"Hn."

She laughed into my shirt.

"Yeah? Is he still bugging you every single day?"

"Yeah."

She smiled.

"That's great."

"Not really," I blankly said.

She laughed again. An Angel's laugh. Sakura's laugh. _My _laugh.

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

I took a deep breath when I gently pulled her away so I could face her. This was it. This was it. This was it.

"I'm in love with you."

Her eyes widened, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Really?"

I smiled. Yes. A real, large, genuine smile. My smile. _Sakura's smile. _

"Yes, really. Actually, I'm not in love with you. I'm head-over-heels in love with you. I've been head-over-heels in love with you ever since we were eighteen. I didn't – "

"Sasuke?"

I stopped and looked at her.

"What?"

"Shut up."

And then, with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, she went on her tiptoes, and kissed me.

Because she loved me, and I loved her.

"My beautiful rescue," I murmured when we pulled away.

She smiled.

"Line-stealer!"

"I love you _soooo _much, Sakura."

I smiled. Quoting her sappy moments was embarrassing and amusing. But I knew it was fine. I meant every single word. Every single syllable.

-

-

One year later, when I finally took over the company, Father had another good laugh.

"You said you would take over the company if you didn't have to marry Sakura, Sasuke."

I smiled, and she looked at the ring around her finger.

"I don't have to. I want to."

-

-

_I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word I withhold.  
I'm falling more in love.  
With every single word you say.  
I'm falling head-over-heels for you._

_My beautiful rescue._

-

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_Well, here's my first fanfic. I hope you liked it. :3__  
Again, lyrics / song is "My Beautiful Rescue" by This Providence – you should check it out. It's cute.  
Thank you for reading (:_


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